Knock Knock
by darkmystress00
Summary: What happens when Beth knocks on the wrong door? Modern Day AU.


Daryl opened his apartment door and stared at the little ball of sunshine standing at his doorstep. She was young and carrying a duffle bag (which looked about ready to burst) and a backpack, and she was smiling the biggest, most beautiful smile he'd ever seen at him. "Uhm. Hi." He started slowly. He wasn't expecting company, and definitely not company like her. He suddenly wished his apartment was a bit cleaner, but he'd set her straight and on the right path and she'd be out of his life before he could count to ten.

"Hi Glenn!" She lunged forward hugging him lightly. "It's nice to finally meet you!" She pushed her way past him with her bags in tow and went into his living room. Definitely at the wrong place. "My train got in early so I hoofed it over here. It's not nearly as far as you said it was going to be." She grinned at him. "So where is Mags?"

"Who?"

"Mags. Maggie? Your fiancée?" Beth looked concerned. Before he could answer her phone rang and she looked down at the caller ID. "Oh. Right. She probably went to the station to get me and we passed each other on the way." She answered. "Hey Mags." Daryl watched her face, waiting for the moment that she realized she was inside a complete strangers house, and not with this Glenn. "What do you mean where am I? I'm with Glenn, at your apartment." She paused. "No…I'm looking at him right now." Her face started to morph before his very eyes. "What do you mean Glenn is with you? How can he be with you? I'm in your living room with him." Her eyes met his and she started to pale. "Y-you live on fourth avenue right? Apartment 2314?" Her eyes went wide and her face flushed red. "Oh…3214. Well…Maggie I gotta go. I'll be at your door when you get there." With that she hung up and looked over at him, her face flushing in embarrassment. "So…not Glenn…" She said dumbly while she pointed to him. He shook his head and watched as her cheeks darkened She picked up her duffle bag again. "I'm so sorry. I'll just…I'll just go."

"You know, if your sister and this Glenn guy are at the train station, they won't be back for a good fifteen minutes. You could have a seat while you wait." He didn't know why he offered but the offer was out there and he wasn't going to take it back now.

"Nah, I've already made a complete idiot of myself. I should probably just go before I make it worse." She hedged towards the door.

"So you're visiting your sister and her fiance?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. They're getting married this weekend and I'm in the wedding. I'm here to help get the last minute stuff done and then I catch the train back to school on Monday."

"Where's school?"

"Atlanta." He let out a whistle.

"Fancy." She snorted.  
"I get by on ramen and mac n' cheese." She grinned. "But I'm getting my degree in something I love so it'll all be worth it in the end." He nodded.

"What're you studyin'?"

"Music." The look she got from him made her giggle. "I know…I know. I'll never make a living with that, but I don't care. I've always thought 'get a job doing what you love, because you wont work a day in your life.'" He stared at her for a moment and then shrugged.

"Makes sense." They talked about what he did for a living, how he wound up in this town, about his brother and her sister, and before they knew it there was a sharp knock on the door. Daryl walked over to open it, swiping at his short brown hair, which Beth had declared looked more like a wet sand color than simple mud brown, but he didn't care one way or the other. On the other side of the door, staring daggers at him stood an agitated Maggie. "You must be Maggie…my fiancé?"

"Daryl…" Beth groaned as she elbowed him lightly in the side. "Hey Maggie. Sorry. I was gonna head up, but Daryl didn't want me sitting in the hallway for fifteen minutes while you and Glenn drove back from the station, so we sat here and talked while I waited." Maggie quirked an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm just glad you're safe. C'mon Glenn's waiting in the car. Figured we were gonna take you out to eat but you weren't at the station like we'd planned." Beth's cheeks reddened.

"I said I was sorry." Maggie hummed at her.

"Come on, squirt." Beth stuck her tongue at Maggie as she started down the hall.

"Thank you Daryl…for not calling the cops when I barged right in. And for letting me stay while we waited for my sister to show up." He hummed at her.

"No big. Don't go barging into any more strangers' houses. They could be crazy for all you know." He teased. She smiled.

"Well, I better…" She motioned with her hand to the still open door where Maggie had been standing. "Hey…if you ever figure out how to text on your dinosaur phone…" She grabbed a pen out of her backpack and wrote her number on his palm. "I'm always free to chat." She smiled at him and then turned and left. Daryl shut the door and sighed. Maybe not by the count of ten, but she had definitely walked out of his life faster than he would have liked. He looked over at his phone and then at his palm. Maybe he'd give this texting thing a try…if not…he could always call. She had given him her number. He smiled. Surprising how a little thing like opening the door could change things so much.


End file.
